Shelf life of flour?

[NYBrit]

We have a bag of flour in the pantry that is unopened and inside a plastic bag. We have had this flour I think for about a year (give or take). How long is flour good for? My wife says to just buy a new bag! LOL

 

[Alix]

Its unopened? And in an extra layer of plastic to boot? Its fine. Use it.

 

[jennyema]

If it's white flour, I agree -- use it.

Whole wheat four will go rancid after a while.

Smell if first. If it doesn't smell "off" use it.

 

[Katie H]

I've had some flour nearly that long that was just fine. And, since yours was also enclosed in a plastic bag, I would think it should be okay. I say, use it, but perhaps you should put it through a fine sieve before you use it to make sure there aren't any unwanted critters in it.

 

[Alix]

I say, use it, but perhaps you should put it through a fine sieve before you use it to make sure there aren't any unwanted critters in it.

Oh urk!

 

[NYBrit]

I say, use it, but perhaps you should put it through a fine sieve before you use it to make sure there aren't any unwanted critters in it


That's what my wife was afraid of that something might be living in there Apparently bugs can grow from the flour?

 

[Alix]

I say, use it, but perhaps you should put it through a fine sieve before you use it to make sure there aren't any unwanted critters in it


That's what my wife was afraid of that something might be living in there Apparently bugs can grow from the flour?

Nope, they only way you can have critters in there is if they got in somehow. The flour itself is only food for the critters and not the producer of said bugs.

Edit: so being that the flour was sealed up well you should be bug free.

 

[NYBrit]

Ok thanks everyone we'll try the sieve idea to be safe.

 

[CharlieD]

If it was, say 10 years in the pantry, then I'd start woriing about

 

[YT2095]

add a drop of gravy browning to the mix and pretend the bread is Wholemeal, most folks will ignore the crunchy bits then

 

[NYBrit]

add a drop of gravy browning to the mix and pretend the bread is Wholemeal, most folks will ignore the crunchy bits then

LOL! YUCK!!

 

[subfuscpersona]

Since it is unopened, the bag will have a "best used by" date stamped on it - look on the top or the bottom (or possibly the back). This date indicates the time it can be stored *unopened*. Generally, unopened white flour will be fine even if you've gone 6-9 months beyond that date.

The only thing that might adversely affect the flour is if you went through an extended period of *humid* weather (a long, hot, humid summer spell???). Since the flour was inside a plastic bag, the plastic could have trapped moisture which would have been absorbed by the flour.

I agree with others that it would most likely be fine to use.

 

[Aria]

Flour is NOT a very expensive item. "we are what we eat".....I would not use it. All the other ingredients you will be using? Recipe? etc.

 

[amber]

I say, use it, but perhaps you should put it through a fine sieve before you use it to make sure there aren't any unwanted critters in it


That's what my wife was afraid of that something might be living in there Apparently bugs can grow from the flour?

Yes bugs can be found in old flour, more specifically, critters that look like small worms that are dried. I'd chuck it. Flour is cheap, so I agree with your wife.

 

[Katie H]

The only thing that might adversely affect the flour is if you went through an extended period of *humid* weather (a long, hot, humid summer spell???). Since the flour was inside a plastic bag, the plastic could have trapped moisture which would have been absorbed by the flour.

I agree with others that it would most likely be fine to use.

I cook using an electronic scale and, since our house isn't air-conditioned, our environment can get pretty humid in the summertime, which affects the weight of many foodstuffs. Of which, flour is one. Even though I store my flour in sealed Tupperware, I still see slight variations in weight of my flour. So, if absorbed moisture is a concern, perhaps scale cooking would be in order here. I still think the flour would be just fine.

As for the cost of flour, it can range from 99 cents for a 5-pound bag to over $3, so tossing it is something to weigh. Pardon the pun.

If the flour you have had on your shelf is of the upper price range, I would still recommend using it. Well, heck, even if it's the less expensive one, use it.

 

[Candocook]

Nope, they only way you can have critters in there is if they got in somehow. The flour itself is only food for the critters and not the producer of said bugs.

Edit: so being that the flour was sealed up well you should be bug free.

Have to slightly disagree. There can be larva in flour and meal products that are well sealed. They hatch and grow with the right conditions--like summer heat.

 

[mudbug]

add a drop of gravy browning to the mix and pretend the bread is Wholemeal, most folks will ignore the crunchy bits then

note to self: never eat granary bread at YT's house

 

[NYBrit]

LOL! I agree with that!

 

[expatgirl]

Not to gross out anyone here but I was forced to take this bug course at Texas A&M back in the 70's and I'm so glad that I did--so I feel like I have a moral obligation to inform you unless things have changed. One thing that they taught us---if the bugs (usually flour beetles and their eggs and larvae--but it also could be mealy moths , their eggs and larvae(they are in the flour or other starch-based foods(rice, pasta, beans, etc.) and are living in it, having sex in it, dying in it, and pooping in it. You decide if you want to "recycle" that stuff in your recipes or not. Ok, on to better things!!!!!

 

[AllenOK]

Have to slightly disagree. There can be larva in flour and meal products that are well sealed. They hatch and grow with the right conditions--like summer heat.

Weavils. Darn those nasty little critters. I've heard it was actually the eggs, not larvae, that were present in flour. The eggs cannot be processed out. Uncooked flour products will also carry weavils, like macaroni. Lately, I've been using, or attempting to use, flour or flour-based products that were about a year old. BIG MISTAKE. Weavils everywhere inside the package. There was a thread somewhere here on DC that mentioned if you store a bag of flour for a couple days in the freezer, then move it out and store in your pantry, you kill the eggs. NOTE: I would place the bag of flour into a ziplock baggie before you remove it from the freezer, to keep condensation from turning your flour into dough. I have not tried this, so I'm not totally sure.